Lacing-terminal



L. S. HINCKLEY.

LACING TERMINAL.

APPLICATION FILED APR.30. I919.

PutentedScpt. 2, 1919.

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' LIVINGSTON HINCKLEY, OF NEWARK, EW JERSEY.

LACING-TERMINAL.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LIVINGSTON S. HINCK- LEY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented new and useful Improvements in Lacing-Terminals, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates generally to that class of inventions known as lacing terminals, and more particularly to such devices the purpose of which is to prevent the bow knot of the lacing from coming inadvertently untied.

The objects of the invention are to pro- Vide a device of this character by which tension may be maintained upon the lacing; to thus keep the knot or bow drawn tight and thereby prevent its untying; to avoid concealing any part of the knot, and on the other hand to conceal the device by the knot; to secure simplicity of construction and operation, and to obtain other advantages and results asmay be brought out in the following description.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, in which like numerals of reference indicate the same parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is a front view of a portion of a shoe with my invention in place and showing the lacing being applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the bow Fig. 3 is a front view of the invention Figs. 4 and 5 are sectional views on lines 4-4 and 55 respectively of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a front view of a modified structure, and

Fig. 7 is a sectional view on line 7-7 of Fig. 5.

In the specific embodiment of the invention illustrated in said drawing, the refer ence numeral 1 indicates my improved lacing terminal or knot tightener which comprises preferably a single piece of sheet metal having a requisite degree of resiliency to meet the requirements for which the device is made. The device provides a body portion 1 in the example shown, which is slightly curved to adapt it to fit upon the weare-rs person, and suflicient in size to not be uncomfortable when held by pressure in place. While shown substantially elliptical in shape, it may be other shapes without departing from the spirit of the invention. A resilient tongue 2 is provided, bent pref- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 2, 1919.

Application filed April 30, 1919. Serial N 0. 293,649.

erably from one edge of the body portion and returned to extend in the same general direction as the body portion, so that in use the tongue will be positioned in front of the body portion. Except at its end 3 where integral with said body portion, the tongue is spaced therefrom, and its resilience resists pressure tending to swing it toward the body portion.

In use the device is placed behind the bow or knot 4 by which a shoe lace 5 is tied, with the bow upon orcrossing the tongue 2 and tied sufiiciently tight to depress the tongue, which will then, by virtue of its resiliency, exert a tension upon the bow and thus keep it from coming larly noted that the device does not pass over any part of the knot to obscure it or detract from its attractiveness or neat appearance, but the knot, on the contrary, conceals to a great extent the device from view.

In order to prevent the knot from slipping off of the tongue, suitable projections are provided, the same being shown in the structure of Figs. 1 to 5 as ears or flanges 6 outstanding from the longitudinal edges of the tongue, it being intended in this structure that theshoe lacing extend longitudinally upon the tongue. In Figs. 6 and 7, however, it is intended that the shoe lacing extend transversely of the tongue, and the projections in this instance are formed by striking up a pair of spaced ridges 8 in the tongue providing a hollow 9 therebetween for the reception of the lacin For the purpose 0% securing the device against shifting from place or becoming lost, the laces may be passed through holes 10,10 in the body portion, as in the modified structure of Figs. 6 and 7 or may one be passed through a hole 11 and the other engaged in a notch 12 as shown in the first five figures. It may be noted that hole 11 is in the body portion 1 of the device beneath the free end of the tongue, and that the tongue is notched thereabove, as at 13, to receive the shoe lace. At the other end of the tongue, the notch 12 is in both tongue and body portion. One free end of the shoe laces passes out through hole 11 and into notch 13 in the end of the tongue, the other free end of the shoe lace engaging in the notch 12 of the tongue and body, the said ends of the lace extended along the tongue and tied tightly, thereby depressing the tongue and maintaining the untied. It is to be particutied shoe lace under tension. Vhile in Figs. 1 to 5 the shoe lace is passed longitudinally of the tongue, to be passed transversely of the tongue, but functions the same in both instances in eX;

erting tension upon the tied ends of shoe lace.

to the lacing of a shoe, it Will be understood that 1t can be employedfor any lacing What ever, thout departing fromthe spirit and scope of the invention and I 'do not Wish to v tween said body portion and the knot? for maintaining a: tension on said knotto pre, vent-accidental untying thereof. 1

2.AL--device of the character described comprising a; body portion; anda resilient tongue normally spacedfrom said body por-. tion, said ,body portion and tongue being adaptedto be-in'serted-beneath knot in a lace to-maintain tension against the-same to prevent accidental unt-yinga, v

3. A device of the character described comprising a body .portion -and a resilient membercarried thereby and normally resisting pressure toward sa d body portlon, said body? portion and resilient member a being adapted tobe lnserted beneath a knot in a in Figs. 6and'7 it is intended While I have' shown my lnvention applied lsisting pressure toward said formed vvith means lace whereby the resilient, member maintains a tension upon said knot to prevent accidental untyingithereof;

A lacing terminal portion adapted to be ends of a lace, ried by said body comprising a body threaded upon the portion and normallyrebody portion, the said resilient member being constructed to have a knot-tiedthereoveriand to main tain tension lIlySiLlCl knot to prevent accidental untying; thereof p r .5.-.-A,-laoing; terminal comprising a body portion: of spring sheet material, an integral spring tongue: returned; oversaid body portion; and resisting. pressure toward. the body and a resilient member'carportion, said body portion and tongue being 1 adapted to be inserted beneath a knot in a lace so tli" t; the tongue maintains a tension upon in said: knot to prevent accidental untying thereof; r i

:76, A. lacingterminal comprisingabody portion of spring sheet material said body portion being provided With openings; for threading the sameupon the ends of a lace 'and an' integral spring tongue returned over said body portion and, resisting pressure towardthe same, said tongue beinginter-e posed, between the knotandthe body portion when; the lace is-tiedso as to maintain a tension upon the knot to preventaccidental untying thereof,' and said tongue being for holding the lace, on said tongue.

1 .mrmswea s; HINCKLEYL Copies of thispatentmay beobtainedfor ive-cents each, byradgiressingsthe, Commissioner of Patents."

4 Washiz g-ton,,JJ.Q. t 

